The race to find effective treatments for COVID-19 has focussed attention on humanity’s reliance on medical advances to keep us healthy. To enable us to keep research into new medicines moving forward, it’s of huge importance that we create clinically safe environments, so everyone feels confident about coming into our clinics.
Our clinics have remained open during the pandemic, highlighting the importance of our ‘essential service’ status in continuing to deliver expert care for patients enrolled in clinical trials. It has also given us lots of time to get our safety measures firmly tested.
How are you feeling?
It’s natural to sometimes feel a bit anxious before attending any clinic or hospital appointment. At MAC you will always receive a warm welcome and we are confident that the measures we have put in place will very much ensure that you feel safe visiting our clinical sites.
Reducing the risks
Our industry is heavily regulated, rightly so! As well as following all government guidelines for maintaining safe environments, we are also following guidance from the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority), the EMA (European Medical Agency). We are also closely following guidance from the NHS research body, NIHR (National Institute for Health Research).
Each of our clinical studies has been risk assessed to ensure that it is safe to open enrolment to volunteers. Some studies that involve patients who are in more vulnerable groups remain under review.
Every aspect of our business is under constant review, to ensure that we are providing the highest standard of care.
What to expect
- As COVID restrictions have lifted, we have looked critically at how we can continue to reduce risks to patients and staff and yet maintain easy access to clinical research studies. We continue to screen everyone (including our staff) before they come into our clinics for symptoms of COVID-19. This will be done via phone call the day before your visit, and again when you arrive in reception.
- Lots of cleaning and sanitizing activities between patient visits! We are always stringent in our infection control policies, but ever more so now.
- Our waiting areas are now open but with socially distanced chair spacing and you will have all visit procedures completed in one private room or area.
- There are various signs, floor markings and hand sanitising stations to help you navigate and keep safe.
- Staff will be wearing approved levels of PPE -gloves, aprons masks depending on the procedure and proximity.
- We prefer that you wear a face covering during the clinic visit which we can provide you with.
- We are here to answer any questions -so please do get in touch if you have any concerns.
